Lord Balaji’s Gimmickry

But I was stunned to find the world famous Sri Venkateswara Temple in Pittsburgh stooping to a “Devotee Appreciation Day” on August 3, 2013.

I’ve heard of Customer Appreciation Day, Employee Appreciation Day, Vendor Appreciation Day and other such drivel.

But Devotee Appreciation Day seems to be scaling the Himalayan heights of nonsense.

The brainiacs of the Sri Venkateswara Temple explain on the temple web site that on Devotee Appreciation Day all Nitya Sevas will be free from 9AM-8:30PM and free Prasadam will be served from Noon through 2PM.

The only conclusion I can draw from this ridiculous proposal is that the current unrelenting U.S. Recession/Depression has hit Hindu temples too hard forcing them to resort to gimmicks like Devotee Appreciation Day to draw visitors to the temple.

Best Buy and Staples offer cheap flash drives in the hope that customers will buy other expensive stuff once inside the store. Is a similar logic at play in the Venkateswara Temple’s free Nitya Sevas deal?

As for me, I’m waiting for the temple to announce their Atheist Appreciation Day so that I can put in an appearance and partake of the Free Prasadam.